Stevenage 2-2 Chesterfield: Match Report

10 March 2012 05:42

Craig Reid rescued Stevenage as their play-off challenge stuttered after being held to a surprise 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Chesterfield.

Boro's gutsy showing against Tottenham at White Hart Lane in the FA Cup was a distant memory within 22 minutes as the visitors took complete control.

With 12 minutes on the clock, Neil Trotman rose highest to meet Drew Talbot's cross and bury a header off the underside of the crossbar. And just 10 minutes later it was 2-0 as Jordan Bowery profited from a mix-up at the back to bend a sumptuous effort inside the far post beyond the despairing dive of goalkeeper Chris Day.

It could easily have got worse for Stevenage. Craig Westcarr raced clear down the left but his drive flashed across the face of goal.

For Boro, Jon Ashton's near-post flick from Joel Byrom's corner was a close as they came to reducing their arrears in the first half.

After the interval, it was Byrom who twice went close to dragging Stevenage back into the game - stabbing wide from inside the box before seeing a long-range strike fizz past the post.

And it was Byrom again who forced Chesterfield keeper Tommy Lee to get down smartly, tipping his first-time effort wide.

With 15 minutes left Scott Laird halved the deficit, applying a clever flick to Byrom's corner. And incredibly, Stevenage were back on level terms seconds later, as Laird, rampaging down the left, picked out Reid at the far post and the substitute calmly slotted past Lee.